The electric motor actually lives behind the battery, where the gearbox would be on a regular E-type. The trunk has control electronics in it.

Since the replacement powertrain is about the same size and weight as the old one, it hasn't affected the balance or handling of the car.

Thanks to the E-type's slippery shape, 40kWh is good for 170 miles of range, we're told.

It hasn't decided whether to offer this conversion to the public, but if it does, expect a restored electric Jaguar to cost about $400,000.

Ask any enthusiast and they'll tell you the same thing—if you want to build a good electric vehicle, you have to start from the ground up. You sandwich the battery pack between the axles, keep the center of gravity nice and low to counteract all that weight, and go from there. That's why cars like the Model S or Bolt are so much better than Californian compliance cars. But we'll make an exception for electric restomods, stuff like one of Zelectric's electric air-cooled conversions. Jaguar evidently agrees with our exception; while next year's I-Pace was designed as an EV from the ground up, you can't say the same for its latest, the E-type Zero.

The starting point was a Series 1.5 E-type convertible, built in Coventry some time between 1967 and 1968. More recently it returned to the city and to Jaguar, which has a nice sideline these days restoring its old cars and even building continuations of things like the XKSS. Here's where things get really interesting. Rather than just give it a nuts and bolts restoration before selling it to a deep pocketed Jaguar lover, someone decided to take out the old XK straight six engine along with the rest of the drivetrain and replace it with an electric motor and batteries.

Instead of an engine block up front, there's a 40kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The 220kW (295hp) motor comes next, where you'd expect to see a gearbox. From there, a prop shaft sends power to the rear wheels via a differential. But here's the really cool bit: the new powertrain has roughly the same weight and dimensions as the old one, and the weight distribution and center of gravity are where they were supposed to be. That obviates any real worries about having to reengineer the car, since it will still handle like it did in period, this time without the help of any leaded gasoline. (In fact, the car is actually about 100lbs/46kg lighter now and a little more powerful so it actually performs better than the original.)

Further Reading

The E-type Zero reveal was accompanied with an announcement that from 2020, each new Jaguar and Land Rover model will have the option of some form of electrification. Speaking at a tech forum that the company is holding over in the UK currently, Dr Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, said, "We will introduce a portfolio of electrified products across our model range, embracing fully electric, plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid vehicles." Volvo made a similar announcement in July.

Enlarge/ As amazing as the thought would be, I can't see the factory agreeing to put this in a C-type or D-type for me.

The E-type Zero has plenty of nerd appeal, although we imagine there might be a purist or two out there who considers what Jaguar's Classic Works have done to be sacrilege. Happily for those folks, the conversion here is actually pretty minor; other than the new powertrain, some LED headlights, and a new dashboard and instruments, the car hasn't been messed with. "We have integrated the new electric powertrain into the existing E-type structure, which means a conventional engine could be reinstalled at any point. We think this is essential as it ensures a period Jaguar remains authentic to its DNA," explained Tim Hanning, director of Jaguar Land Rover Classic.

Thanks to the E-type's aerodynamic efficiency, the 40kWh battery is good for about 170 miles of range. And because it's practically a drop-in replacement for the old XK engine, JLR Classic should be able to take the technology and stick it in any of the XK-engined cars built. Hanning said that the idea with the E-type Zero was "to future-proof classic car ownership," adding that the company is exploring whether there's a market for EV conversions that would cost about $400,000.